To the original point of the thread cops are really great at filling out paper work after something bad happens, but I wouldn't want to rely on them to do much more than that.
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Originally Posted by treelizard
I thought about this and I decided that anybody who says they don't hang out with strangers or near-strangers is probably lying.
Hasn't anyone ever moved to a new town? Or gotten coffee or drinks with coworkers they didn't know too well after starting a new job? Going to a new dojo and hanging out with people you only know sort of, getting some pizza after class? Gone to events at someone's house, like a UFC party at a friend of a friend's house? These types of things are so totally common that I can't think of anyone who DOESN'T do things like that except for this woman I know who has 30 cats and never leaves her house except for work. Oh wait, I'm lying. She petsits for other people she doesn't know that well--friends of friends...
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I certainly think you need to use a certain amount of common sense (like telling people where you're going when hiking/camping) but to be honest the tone of this thread strikes me as unnecesarrily paranoid. I talk to people every where I go- that means the people that go to my gym, the person behind me in line at the store, the people at the next table at the coffee shop, the people next to me in the bar etc. Most people are friendly if you approach them in a friendly (and confident) fashion. Meeting a stranger in a public place isn't dangerous- although you certainly want to have a good idea of who they are before you leave a public place. I think blind dates are bad news but not because they're dangerous. If you don't know the person just make sure you meet them in a crowded place like a restaurant or coffee shop until you feel comfortable. I certainly believe in taking precautions but I don't think it's healthy to see everyone as a threat. Frequently people's behavior reflects the way they're treated, if you see them as a threat they will pick up on that (even if it's subconsciously) and will be much more likely to be hostile. Conversely if you assume they're friendly they probably will be. I honestly believe my social skills do (A LOT!) more to keep me safe than my martial arts skills. I'm not suggesting that you go take long intimate drives down dark country roads with every strange guy that stops to check you out but you have to keep things in perspective. It strikes me as down right bizarre that your friend thinks it's dangerous to go check out a dojo by yourself- to me that is an unwholesome amount of suspicion. Why would you ever be afraid of walking into a small business to make inquiries?
06-26-2006, 03:36 PM
ehhh screw you you got plenty of good rep anyway
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